Styela truncata
From Natural History of Southeast Alaska
Cone tunicate (Styela truncata): This species may be seen intertidally and on floating man-made structures.
It is recognized by its orange siphons, irregular cone-shaped body, wide at the base, and narrow at the top, 3 centimeters long at the most (much shorter than most other species in this genus in the area). The tunic is lumpy and smooth, or lumpy and grooved, with the lumps nearer the top.
When pulled out of the water, the cone-shaped animals tend to look crooked, and their siphons are almost invisible. When observed under a hand lens, the siphons are bright orange, and look like they are covered by four triangular flaps that leave an X pattern across the siphon where they meet.
Local Notes
References
Weblinks
- WoRMS Page for Styela truncata
- Search Arctos Database for Styela truncata (Southeast only)
- Search Arctos Database for Styela truncata (entire database)
- Encyclopedia of Life search for Styela truncata
- iNaturalist Observations for Styela truncata in Southeast Alaska
Other References